In a landmark event, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to completing all abandoned projects in the Niger Delta region. The President made this declaration while inaugurating a 600-meter bridge, 6.87km road in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State.
Represented by the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, the President praised the renewed focus and unity of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) board and management. “This is the first time since 2002 that the NDDC board and management are united and focused on commissioning projects that benefit the people of the Niger Delta,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President noted that under the Tinubu administration, the NDDC has made significant strides, including connecting five local government areas in Ondo State to the national grid by commissioning a transmission station in Okitipupa. “The substation will serve 64 communities,” he added.
Akpabio called on the NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to go beyond road construction and focus on empowering women in the communities with soft grants to help them preserve their farm produce, particularly fish.
In his address, Dr. Ogbuku stated that the NDDC has been commissioning a series of projects across the nine states of the Niger Delta to commemorate President Tinubu’s first year in office. “We have commissioned transmission stations, roads, and bridges as a gift to the people of the Niger Delta from the President,” he said.
The NDDC has also been providing free healthcare and enhancing e-learning in primary and secondary schools by delivering 48,000 tablets to the region.
The Honorable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Abubakar Momoh, expressed his joy at the project’s inauguration, stating that it would trigger economic activities in the surrounding communities. “We are fully aware that before now, the 20 communities were disconnected. With the construction of this road, they can easily access themselves, and that means the economic activities will increase and lead to the development of this area,” Momoh said.
The Minister also noted that the performance bond signed between his ministry and the NDDC management has yielded tangible results, as evident in the projects being commissioned. “President Tinubu is deeply committed towards the development of the Niger Delta, and he has given an instruction that all abandoned projects and legacy signature projects will be completed,” Momoh added.
The inauguration of the 600-meter bridge and 6.87KM road in Ibeno is part of the Tinubu administration’s renewed focus on the Niger Delta region, underscoring the President’s commitment to addressing the long-standing developmental challenges in the region.
